NBA Playoffs Required Reading: Miami Heat Defeat Chicago Bulls, Advance to NBA Finals

The Miami Heat closed out the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, after making a not-so-epic comeback in the 4th quarter. This wasn’t a comeback on the same level of what we saw from the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it fit into an overriding theme: Veteran teams close out big series.

Both the Bulls and Thunder have bright futures and will be title contenders for years to come, but the time now belongs to the Heat and Mavs, who among them have a number of veterans who have been here and done this before.

Today’s round-up previews the NBA Finals, looks back at what went wrong for the Bulls and takes it easy on Derrick Rose. Really, as it should. There’s was no more BS rally cry than “take back Rose’s MVP trophy!” Quit that nonsense.

LeBron James Told United Center Staff to Pack Up Before Game 5 Victory (SB Nation)

Heat Come Up Big in the 4th Quarter (USA Today)

The Best Three Minutes of LeBron James’ Life (Sportige)

Bulls-Heat By the Numbers (Chicago Daily-Herald)

How the East Was Won: LeBron vs. D-Rose (Sports Grid)

Derrick Rose: “At the end, this was on me.” (Chicago Tribune)

Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah Disappear Late (RotoWorld)

Joakim Noah Calls Miami “Hollywood” (SB Nation)

Heat-Bulls Series Grade (CBS Sports)

Sums It Up: